


A Way To Contact Those We Lost

by felinedetached



Series: Of Spectres And Witches [2]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2017-08-08
Packaged: 2018-12-12 18:03:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11742303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/felinedetached/pseuds/felinedetached
Summary: In which Rose attempts to summon her brother, again, and succeeds, again.





	A Way To Contact Those We Lost

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EzzyAlpha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzzyAlpha/gifts).



You draw the chalk outline again, this time wearing more appropriate clothes. By that, you mean your usual white t-shirt and a shorter black skirt, this one falling just above your knee. It’s less dramatic, the motions not as sweepy, but it’s also far less likely to pick up the chalk and disturb the ritual - which is admittedly more complicated this time. This time, you’ve figured out a way to keep in contact.

 

Which is why two phones sit innocently in the middle of the circle. You’re hoping Dirk will be able to take one with him, and you’ve enchanted them both so that they should be able to keep contact with each other. This is a test, one you’re hoping desperately will work, as if it doesn’t you’ll have to wait. That wait will probably be even longer than the one previously - summoning something with no intention to borrow its power apparently takes a lot out of you. Honestly, though, you’re getting distracted and should probably stop monologuing and get on with the summoning.

 

The candles are lit, and you finally, finally, chant the summoning spell. It’s been awhile since you summoned, but the words flow from your mouth like you were born to say them. In all honesty, you probably were. Your mother always used to say that every witch has a speciality. Perhaps yours is summoning. The spell works perfectly, of course, it had last time as well, and Dirk fades into existence - if, perhaps, a tad slower this time. You should have waited longer, as your magic hasn’t been entirely replenished. It takes more effort to summon him - last time, it was easy until after, when your magical exhaustion suddenly came to light and you’d collapsed.

 

“Rose. Rose, talk to me,” Dirk says, and you realise you spaced out again. You literally _just told yourself to stop monologuing_ , what are you _doing_?

 

“Hello, Dirk,” you say, and god that sounds so _formal_ , you’re such an idiot. “I think I figured out a way to do this without magical exhaustion,” you tell him, almost rushing to get it out.

 

“Magical exhaustion?” He asks, his voice containing just that hint of worry, reminding you that he doesn’t know about what happened last time. Ghosts can’t actually see into the ‘mortal’ realm, and so he never saw your collapse after the summoning circle had been shut down. “What happened?”

 

“Nothing, really,” you say, because in the scope of things it really was nothing. Magical exhaustion is just a minor handicap, and you were able to do physical activity again rather quickly after your collapse. It took a while after that for you to be able to do even minor spells, but your magical… impotency, for lack of a better word, hadn’t affected much. “Just a minor handicap after the first time I summoned you.”

 

“Magical exhaustion is more serious than it appears, Rose,” he says, and he still looks worried. He really has no need to be worried about you - you can take care of yourself. Not that you don’t appreciate it, of course. It’s nice to have people worry about you every once and awhile. That doesn’t mean you want to bother them in such a way though. “It’s the drain of sustaining a summoning with no extra power as a reward, isn’t it?”

 

“Yes,” you admit, reluctant. “However, I made sure my power had built back up to the optimum level before summoning you again. Magical exhaustion shouldn’t be an issue.”

 

“Rose…” Dirk says, his voice tired, “You know I can give you energy, right? Just like a demon summoning. Sign a contract.”

 

“No!” you say hurriedly, and by the hurt look on his face, it must have been too fast - too vehement. “Nothing against you, of course, but you’ll need your energy for this idea I’ve had.” You gesture towards the phones he’s hovering over, feeling a candle near you flicker as you do. God, air shifts so _easily_. You hate it. As the candle settles back into a calmer state, so does Dirk, no longer flicking in and out of sight.

 

He shifts, kneeling to pick up one of the phones. The fact that he can actually pick it up seems to surprise him, but to you it’s just a sign that your plan will work.

 

“What do you want to do with these?” He asks, standing back up.

 

“I’ve enchanted them so that we should be able to talk to each other without a summoning - that is, if you can take it with you when you cross back over.” Dirk unlocks the screen, staring at the phone screen for a second.

 

“Pesterchum?” He asks, and you almost want to laugh.

 

“Of course,” you respond, because honestly, what else would you choose? Pesterchum was all you used as a kid, and you know Dirk was the same.

 

“Will..” he hesitates, and you make a questioning noise. “Will I be able to get in touch with everyone else?”

 

“So far, only Roxy, Dave and I have phones that should be able to message through dimensions,” you try to ignore the way his face falls at your words, and hurriedly continue. “But if this works, I have more to send to the others.”

 

“You really thought of everything,” Dirk says, “but you’re not sure if this will work?”

 

“No,” you respond, voice soft.

 

He looks up, the phone clutched tightly in his hand.

 

“I should go - if I stay any longer, it’ll suck more of your energy.” His concern is nice, but you can’t help but want him to stay even just a little longer.

 

“I’ll be fine-” you start, your sentence abruptly cut off by Dirk as he talks over you. Bastard.

 

“You really won’t.”

 

He knows you - and the symptoms of magical exhaustion - too well, damn him. He’s a great brother, honestly, and you wouldn’t trade him for the world.

 

Hesitating for a second, you step into the circle with him. It’s a risky move, made riskier by the fact that you’ve already brushed with possession once. Dirk freezes, shifting just ever so slightly away from you. Ignoring that, you step forward more, hesitantly touching his arm. Unlike the phone, your hand goes through it.

 

You’re not sure why you thought something different would happen.

 

“Rose…” he says, cautious as he moves away from where your hand hovers in the air. It’s almost like you’re reaching out for him. Probably because you really were. “I’m sorry,” he adds.

 

“It’s okay,” you respond. You’d just… hoped, you guess. Hoped you could have one last hug before he left.

 

The last time you hugged him was years ago.

 

It looks like you’re not getting another.

 

You’ll find a way to make him corporeal, eventually.

 

“Rose, I swear to god, if you start fucking around with Necromancy…” he warns, his words contrasting the light tone in his voice.

 

“I won’t,” you lie, smiling innocently. He laughs, but sobers up quite quickly.

 

“You’ve got to let me go, Rose. This is exhausting you, I can _feel_ it,” he’s concerned again, obviously, and you sigh.

 

“I know,” you reply, but you really don’t want to let him go.

 

“Goodbye, Rose,” he says, firmly, yet with the kindness you’ve come to associate him with still trickling into his voice. “I’ll message.”

 

You sniff. You’re probably crying, but you can’t really bring yourself to care.

 

“Bye, Dirk,” you say, voice thick in a way that confirms your previous thought, “so will I.” He smiles, and it’s heartbreaking to do so, but you step out of the circle and blow out the candles with a slight gust of wind. His form flickers and fades, that sad smile still gracing his face.

 

With the circle broken, it’s safe to re-enter. You pick up the phone, ignoring the exhaustion niggling in the back of your mind, and open pesterchum. Logging in is more muscle memory than anything, and as you click on Dirk’s chumhandle, your breath catches in your throat.

 

tentacleTherapist [TT] began pestering timaeusTestified [TT]!  
TT: Dirk?  
TT: Hey, Rose. Feelin’ that exhaustion yet?

 

You laugh.


End file.
